Letters

Heavy Hoofing

Dear Alibi,

[RE: Letters, “Round ’em Up,” et al.]

I'm getting tired of all these letters from friends of the cattle industry criticizing Forest Guardians.

I have seen the part of the Santa Fe River which Forest Guardians has replanted with native cottonwoods and willows and fenced off from cattle. Allowed to grow without heavy hoofing and grazing, the Bosque there is thriving as it once did when only buffalo and pronghorn roamed in widely spaced herds. On the other side of the fence, the banks of the river are barely alive. Forest Guardians knows the science of ecology and is a nonprofit. The cattle industry is in it for the money and is subsidized by the feds with cheap grazing fees. Drought and global warming make it even harder on the cows and the land.

Thankfully, there are watchdogs like Forest Guardians.

B.W. ThompsonAlbuquerque

Washington, Adams, Jefferson ...

Dear Alibi,

[RE: Letters, “Age of Aquarius?,” June 22-28]

Letter writer Randall Sobien asks us to accept the so-called "fact" that our founding fathers of this country "had neither the intention nor desire for this to be a Christian nation." Unfortunately for him, the typical Alibi reader is not in elementary school.

In 1620, Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower penned the Compact, which included the statement "for glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith.”

As the number of settlers grew, it is noted that 106 of the 108 schools in America were founded on the Christian faith. Fifty, and perhaps 55, of the 55 men who framed the Constitution of the U.S. were professing Christians.

John Adams, our second president, mused that every nation should take the Bible for their only law book and that every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited. Samuel Adams, the "Father of the American Revolution," boldly asserted, "The right to freedom being the gift of the Almighty. ... The rights of the colonists as Christians … may be best understood by reading and carefully studying the institutions of the Great Law Giver and head of the Christian Church, which are to be found clearly written and promulgated in the New Testament." In 1778, Ben Franklin wrote a letter to the Ministry of France which included the statements, "I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men, and if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, it is probable that an empire can rise without his aid?”

These statements only scratch the surface of the sentiments of our founders. Not a Christian nation you say? Maybe these "howling fanatics" who wrote the Constitution were on to something.

Donald L. AdamsRio Rancho

The Apes We Are

Dear Alibi,

Looks like the chimpanzees are back on proofreading duty at the Alibi. In the June 15-21 issue, “Innards” tells us we can find Ortiz y Pino's column on page 16. Instead, page 16 treats us to a full page of ads with no Ortiz or Pino to be found in the paper anywhere. I didn't see an acknowledgment in the next issue, but I did see the date misrepresented on page 3 as May 22-28 instead of June 22-28. Also, I guess you really liked the crossword puzzle in that issue, because we got the very same one all over again in the June 29-July 5 issue. Then on page 10 of that paper, we find that the NSA has evidently changed its name: It's always been the National Security Agency but apparently the Alibi likes National Security “Administration” better. Time for a little more Red Bull in the editorial office!

Jim CrowtherAlbuquerque

Credit Where It’s Due

Dear Alibi,

In Jim Scarantino's critique [The Real Side, “Patsy's Patsies,” June 22-28] of Attorney General Madrid's treatment of Robert Vigil, he should at least have given her credit for consistency. According to a front-page article in the Albuquerque Journal on Sept. 21, 2005, her office was given an audit in 1999 that alleged Vigil's office used a contractor to filter government money to a former deputy. She referred the matter to DA Henry Valdez, saying she didn't have the resources to pursue the case. I presume this audit report was the basis for the pleas of Gov. Johnson and the "missing" memo Jim made reference to. In fairness, perhaps she now has more "resources" than she had back in 1999.

William BentonAlbuquerque

Lucky Number Seven

Dear Alibi,

Thank you for running the Albuquerque Radio Control Club Scale Air Show as a “Lucky 7” event. We had a very large number of calls from people asking Ray for directions to the field. Your newspaper has a substantial following of people interested in such outdoor activities. We had more than 1,000 guests exposed to our enjoyable and educational hobby.

Thank you again for your coverage.

Chuck AndrakaARCC Board Member

Heart and Soul

Dear Alibi,

I have a theory. My theory exposes the true root of homophobia.

Take your most virulent homophobic. Remove from his heart and soul everything cultural that justifies his hatred of homosexuals, all the Bible quotes, all the laws that despise and prohibit homosexual behavior.

At the core of the homophobic soul, what do we find? What primal emotion is the foundation for homophobia?

Repulsion.

Greg LeichnerPlacitas

Letters should be sent with the writer’s name, address and daytime phone number via e-mail to letters@alibi.com. They can also be faxed to (505) 256-9651. Letters may be edited for length and clarity, and may be published in any medium; we regret that owing to the volume of correspondence we cannot reply to every letter.